U.S. commander gets no help from Pakistan in defeating insurgents

The top commander of coalition forces in Afghanistan’s Helmand province said Monday that Pakistani troops have been no help in targeting insurgents hiding in safe havens in Pakistan.

“Unfortunately, from my perspective as a tactical commander in Regional Command Southwest, I have had no support from XII Corps,” said Marine CorpsMaj. Gen. John Toolan, referring to the Pakistani military’s divisions stationed in Quetta, where Afghan Taliban headquarters are located.

“I know for a fact that drugs are moving out [of Afghanistan] through Pakistan and lethal aid is coming in on a regular basis,” Gen. Toolan said at the Atlantic Council, a think tank in Washington.

“If I had XII Corps, if I had the Pakistani army support to at least conduct patrols around the border and limit movement across, that would really help. That’s been my focus, but [I] haven’t really been able to get that support,” he said.

Last month, Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, noted corruption and Pakistani safe havens as the two remaining challenges to success in Afghanistan.